Perfect World (Huey Lewis and the News song)
Encyclopedia
"Perfect World" is a song performed by Huey Lewis and the News
and released as the first single from the album Small World
in late June 1988. The single peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100
and #48 on the UK Singles Chart
.
The song, which was written by Alex Call
, is about how we don't live in a perfect world, even though we like to believe to, and that there is nothing wrong with keeping on believing that we do. The song was mostly positively received, and the music video, which featured the band singing in a garbage dump, was in heavy rotation at MTV
.
and Sean Hopper from the band, Clover
. Call had previously co-written the hit song "867-5309/Jenny
" for Tommy Tutone
. Huey Lewis gave the song a reggae flavor. The song is an optimistic commentary on a human being's hopes and dreams, as well as our private thoughts. The song tells the person to "keep on dreaming," because there will never be a perfect world. The song admits that life isn't perfect, but tells the listener to use the power of positive dreaming to cope with the reality. The B-side to the single was an instrumental album track, "Slammin'"
.
said that the song was "Wry," and it seemed "destined" to be another top ten single from the band. According to Martin Moynihan of thee Albany Times Union, the song was "a pop music mix of Lewis' usual musical optimism tempered with an element of reserve" Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said of the song, "None of the musical diversions work as well as the bouncy Top Ten hit 'Perfect World.'" Erlewine also believed that the song ranked "with the group's best material." Jerry Spangler of Deseret News said that the song was a "captivating rocker." New York Times reviewer Stephen Holden considers the song a "companion piece" to the first song off of the Small World album, "Small World, Part One".
' "Sweet Child O' Mine
", and Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible
".
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
and released as the first single from the album Small World
Small World (album)
Small World is the fifth album by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1988 .Although it reached the top 20 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, the album was much less successful than its predecessors, 1983's Sports and 1986's Fore!...
in late June 1988. The single peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and #48 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
The song, which was written by Alex Call
Alex Call
Alex Call is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.-Biography:Alex Call was one of the original members of the California rock band Clover. After four albums, the band broke up in 1978 and Call went solo. His first solo album was released in 1983 for Arista Records. One of the songs from...
, is about how we don't live in a perfect world, even though we like to believe to, and that there is nothing wrong with keeping on believing that we do. The song was mostly positively received, and the music video, which featured the band singing in a garbage dump, was in heavy rotation at MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
History
The song was written by Alex Call, a former bandmate of LewisHuey Lewis
Huey Lewis is an American musician, songwriter and occasional actor.Lewis sings lead and plays harmonica for his band Huey Lewis and the News, in addition to writing or co-writing many of the band's songs...
and Sean Hopper from the band, Clover
Clover (band)
Clover was an American country rock band formed in Mill Valley, California in 1967. They are best known as the backup band for Elvis Costello's 1977 debut album My Aim Is True , and for members later forming or joining more successful acts, including Huey Lewis and the News, The Doobie Brothers,...
. Call had previously co-written the hit song "867-5309/Jenny
867-5309/Jenny
"867-5309/Jenny" is a song written by Alex Call and Jim Keller and performed by Tommy Tutone that was released on the album Tommy Tutone 2, on the Columbia Records label. It peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in 1982...
" for Tommy Tutone
Tommy Tutone
Tommy Tutone is a New Wave band, best known for its 1982 hit "867-5309/Jenny", which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although it is usually referred to as a San Francisco band, it was actually based in Willits, California, at the time that "Jenny" was released...
. Huey Lewis gave the song a reggae flavor. The song is an optimistic commentary on a human being's hopes and dreams, as well as our private thoughts. The song tells the person to "keep on dreaming," because there will never be a perfect world. The song admits that life isn't perfect, but tells the listener to use the power of positive dreaming to cope with the reality. The B-side to the single was an instrumental album track, "Slammin'"
Music video
The music video features the band playing on a stage in a garbage dump field, with various pieces of garbage flying in the air, hitting various members of the band. Throughout the video, Huey Lewis dances and strolls through a pathway as work is done by garbage trucks behind him. At the end of the video, the band is seen posing by more garbage. The video received heavy rotation on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
Reception
Reception for the song was mostly positive. Lynn Van Matre of the Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
said that the song was "Wry," and it seemed "destined" to be another top ten single from the band. According to Martin Moynihan of thee Albany Times Union, the song was "a pop music mix of Lewis' usual musical optimism tempered with an element of reserve" Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said of the song, "None of the musical diversions work as well as the bouncy Top Ten hit 'Perfect World.'" Erlewine also believed that the song ranked "with the group's best material." Jerry Spangler of Deseret News said that the song was a "captivating rocker." New York Times reviewer Stephen Holden considers the song a "companion piece" to the first song off of the Small World album, "Small World, Part One".
Chart performance
"Perfect World" was the first single released from the album Small World. Originally to be released in mid-June, the single's release was held off until later in the month. It was the last top-ten hit for the band, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was prevented from moving further up the chart by Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
' "Sweet Child O' Mine
Sweet Child O' Mine
"Sweet Child o' Mine" is the third single by American rock band Guns N' Roses, and the third from their 1987 debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction. Released on August 17, 1988, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the band's first and only number-one single in the U.S...
", and Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible
Simply Irresistible (song)
"Simply Irresistible" is the first single released from the 1988 studio album Heavy Nova by Robert Palmer and is presented in one of the most distinctive and memorable music videos of the 1980s....
".
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Report | 22 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 1 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 64 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 43 |
| UK Singles Chart | 48 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Album Rock Tracks | 5 |